Clarkson made the comment on the BBC's One Show on Wednesday evening. "I'd have them all shot." he said when asked what he thought about the strikes. "I'd take them outside and execute them in front of their families."

He added: "How dare they go on strike when they've got these gilt edge pensions when the rest of us have to work for a living."

Clarkson made the remarks after praising the strikes as "fantastic" as they had emptied London of people.

"Everybody's stayed at home, you could wiz about, restaurants are empty..airports, people streaming through."

Clarkson's comments came after expressing support for the strike, saying "this is the BBC" then balancing his praise with the execution comment.